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Mummy Game 006
February 1922, Cairo. After experiencing some odd visions during the steamship ride to Luxor from Cairo, Felix Cray seems to have returned to reality and went to bed with the cryptic Countess. 6:17:25 PM Kate: He is awakened in the middle of the night by being hit in the face! 6:17:40 PM Felix: Felix sits bolt upright! 6:18:23 PM Kate: It's his bedmate, who is flailing around, tangled in covers. 6:18:38 PM Felix: Felix wakes her up! 6:19:38 PM Kate: By? 6:19:49 PM Felix: Nudging her shoulder! 6:20:34 PM Kate: It doesn't work. 6:20:58 PM Kate: She hits him in the face again, though not very hard; she's still flailing. 6:21:15 PM Felix: He catches her wrist, gently, then. "Yelena!" 6:22:43 PM Kate: She goes still, and stops moving, still eerily silent. Then, finally, "... yes." 6:23:06 PM Felix: Are you alright? 6:23:57 PM Kate: There's a long pause. "... we're on the ship to Luxor." 6:25:01 PM Felix: Yes. 6:26:27 PM Kate: She squirms up a bit so their faces are about a foot apart in the dim light coming in from the shutters. 6:27:02 PM Felix: what was that? 6:28:05 PM Kate: Countess: A dream. 6:28:34 PM Felix: Ah. 6:29:51 PM Kate: Countess: Sometimes I can hear the questions you don't ask as clearly as the few you do. 6:32:05 PM Felix: I wasn't being terribly subtle. If you wanted to tell me, you'd tell me. Don't take my not asking as not caring, though. 6:33:34 PM Kate: Countess: What do the rumors say? 6:33:51 PM Felix: What rumors? 6:34:27 PM Kate: Countess: About me. I am sure there must be some, but for *some* reason, I hear very little of them. 6:35:25 PM Felix: I haven't been around your crew enough to hear any of them. 6:36:48 PM Kate: Countess: Truly? I find that difficult to believe. 6:37:23 PM Felix: Truly. 6:38:14 PM Kate: Countess: That is a shame. I should hate to think I was not being talked about at all. 6:38:48 PM Felix: I don't think that's possible, either. I just haven't heard any of it. 6:39:22 PM Kate: Countess: I wonder if there are new ones. 6:40:16 PM Kate: Countess: I am aware that I am an imposter. I am also aware I married for money and I *believe* I also murdered my husband. 6:41:04 PM Felix: Hmmm. 6:42:31 PM Kate: Countess: It would be a shame if there were not a few new ones as well. 6:44:11 PM Felix: I'm sure there are. Maybe something to do with past lives. 6:45:53 PM Kate: Countess: Perhaps. I believe there was a torrid affair with a high-ranking revolutionary, followed by a secret abortion as well. It sounded far-fetched to me. 6:50:59 PM Felix: Hmm. Back in Paris they say I lost my eye thanks to a gambling debt, among other things. They say that I don't drink alcohol because I was a horrible drunk in the past. 6:52:14 PM Kate: Countess: And these things are certainly not true. 6:52:51 PM Felix: No. 6:56:05 PM Felix: Truth is I lost the eye in the war and I just don't like the taste of alchohol. 6:57:40 PM Kate: Countess: It burns going down. 6:59:02 PM Felix: Yeah. 7:01:06 PM Kate: Countess: I murdered my husband. 7:01:57 PM Felix: Why? 7:03:24 PM Kate: Countess: He drank too much. 7:04:08 PM Felix: Did it make him cruel? 7:06:32 PM Kate: Countess: Violent. 7:08:39 PM Felix: Felix nods. "I've trusted with my life men that did worse for less." 7:10:18 PM Kate: She shrugs. "I awaited an opportune time and pushed him off the balcony. The simplest plans that require no preparation are best." 7:14:56 PM Felix: True. 7:15:30 PM Kate: Countess: The others aren't true. 7:16:37 PM Felix: I believe you. 7:17:11 PM Kate: Countess: I wonder if there are more that are. 7:17:19 PM Kate: Her expression is *really* hard to read. 7:18:05 PM Felix: One never knows. ((I figured she had that Russian stoicism going.)) What did you dream of? 7:18:25 PM Kate: Countess: Being trapped in a small room in the dark. 7:18:56 PM Kate: Countess: A small box. 7:22:54 PM Felix: I see. 7:25:23 PM Kate: Countess: I am somewhat claustrophobic. 7:31:11 PM Felix: Yeah, I knew a few guys who had that problem. 7:31:32 PM Kate: Countess: I am certain they disliked trenches. 7:32:26 PM Felix: THey get very close. 7:36:24 PM Kate: She squirms forward a bit and folds herself into Felix's arms, if he lets her. 7:36:40 PM Felix: He does, he puts his arms around her. 7:38:35 PM Kate: Countess: Thank you for waking me. 7:38:47 PM Felix: Well, you hit me. 7:39:49 PM Kate: Countess: Did I? 7:40:00 PM Kate: She backs up a bit and inspects his face for damage. 7:40:29 PM Felix: Not terribly hard. ENough to wake me. 7:42:12 PM Kate: Countess: My apologies. 7:42:46 PM Felix: No worries. 7:44:36 PM Kate: She snuggles back up. "I will have to make it up to you somehow." 7:44:54 PM Felix: I'm sure we'll think of something. 7:47:20 PM Kate: Countess: What do you want? 7:49:11 PM Felix: Hmm. What is lightlly hitting me in the face worth to you? 7:49:58 PM Kate: Countess: To keep you here? Quite a bit. 7:52:20 PM Felix: Oh, I'm not going anywhere. I've been hit harder. 7:53:16 PM Kate: Countess: I am certain that is true; however, I feel I must do something for you. 7:54:21 PM Felix: He smiles. "Well, you're definitely nicer than most folks that hit me." 7:55:22 PM Kate: Countess: To you, perhaps. 8:01:34 PM Felix: Who else matters in this context? 8:02:01 PM Kate: Countess: An excellent point, but you dodge the question. Surely there is something I can do. 8:02:58 PM Felix: He kisses her! "If I think of something I'll let you know." 8:03:42 PM Kate: She kisses him back. "Very well. Goodnight." 8:05:17 PM Felix: Good night. 8:11:50 PM Kate: He wakes up to the sound of shouting. The Countess is absent, when someone bursts into the room. It's David; he looks confused to a. not find the countess, and b. find Felix instead. 8:14:11 PM Kate: David: What are you... ... *oh.* Well I don't give a damn about that, where the hell is the Countess? 8:15:17 PM Felix: Felix looks around. "No idea." 8:15:24 PM Felix: Something wrong? 8:18:01 PM Kate: David: Of course there is, there's been a murder. One of the men is dead, we're trying to account for everyone's whereabouts. Where is she? 8:18:23 PM Felix: Again, no idea. Who died? 8:18:51 PM Felix: Felix gets out of bed! Is probably naked, but doesn't care, pulling his pants on. 8:20:00 PM Kate: David: Ali. The older Ali. 8:20:27 PM Kate: David doesn't seem to notice much. "He had two children, and now he's been stabbed to death." 8:21:20 PM Felix: Felix frowns. "I'm sorry. Your brother told me about how much you relied on your crew. I was wrong when I insulted you last night. I apologize." 8:21:57 PM Kate: David: ... apology accepted. Come on, help me find her. If some damned maniac is on this boat stabbing people at random... 8:22:32 PM Felix: Felix nods, and buttons his shirt up. "He was stabbed?" 8:23:40 PM Kate: David: Just once. And then laid out like a damned... well, you'll see. 8:24:19 PM Felix: Felix nods, and pokes his head into his room, seeing if everything is the way he left it. Also hoping his sword isn't missing. 8:25:07 PM Kate: His sword is still there, along with all his other things. 8:25:15 PM Kate: And the bed is made and everything, just as he left it. 8:26:38 PM Kate: David: Come on. 8:26:42 PM Felix: Right. 8:26:45 PM Felix: Felix follows him! 8:29:13 PM Kate: David leads you out on the deck, and then down into the bowels of the ship, into a smallish room that serves as crew quarters. 8:29:52 PM Kate: There's a corpse there; it's obviously been stabbed, given that the weapon, a gilt-handled knife, is still sticking out of his chest. 8:30:24 PM Kate: His arms have been crossed over his chest, around the knife, and his legs have been tucked together, and eyes closed. 8:32:51 PM Kate: David: What the hell is this supposed to mean? 8:33:53 PM Felix: Felix wrinkles his nose as he looks at the scene. Then he looks around. Who's all there? 8:35:03 PM Kate: Some of the men, whom you don't really recognize, two veiled servants, one of whom is crying, and Paul and Father O'Malley. 8:35:27 PM Felix: When was he found? 8:36:18 PM Kate: Paul, shaking his head. "Ten minutes ago." 8:36:36 PM Felix: ((Is there a lot of blood?)) 8:37:13 PM Kate: A fair amount! 8:37:49 PM Felix: ((Any footprings in the blood?)) 8:37:54 PM Kate: None. 8:38:45 PM Felix: Felix looks at the knife! Not touching it. 8:39:39 PM Kate: It's one of the flashy, gemmed knives you can get from just about any vendor here. Probably paste gems, and the gold is probably more goldish than gold. 8:41:09 PM | Edited 8:41:16 PM Felix: Felix stands up, looking around at the people here. "Let's find the Countess." 8:41:38 PM Kate: Paul: ... you don't think she... 8:41:45 PM Kate: David: Don't be a damn fool. 8:43:05 PM Felix: This is her expedition. It makes no sense to spend this much money and do this. 8:43:54 PM Kate: David: Besides, that kind of woman doesn't need to murder people. She could hire ten people to do it for her. 8:43:58 PM Kate: Paul: David! 8:44:18 PM Kate: David: Shut up and let's make sure she didn't fall overboard. Where should we look first, Cray, you seem to know her better than the rest of us. 8:44:45 PM Kate: This is said without a trace of irony. 8:45:32 PM Felix: ...she coudl be on deck somewhere. In the open. 8:47:26 PM Kate: David: Then come on. 8:47:36 PM Kate: Paul: I told the women to stay in their cabins. 8:48:08 PM Felix: Felix nods. "Get someone to look at that dagger, though." 8:49:06 PM Kate: Paul: What are we looking for? 8:50:12 PM Felix: Where it came from. How much it's worth. Something, anything that can tell us about who did this. 8:52:05 PM Kate: David: You think it was premeditated? 8:52:09 PM Kate: David: Damn! 8:52:54 PM Felix: Certainly looks that way. They wanted us to find him. 8:53:46 PM Kate: Paul: Why is he laid out like a mummy in a tomb? 8:54:30 PM Felix: ...what? 8:54:50 PM Kate: Paul: With his arms crossed like that, and his chin in that position. 8:55:06 PM Felix: ...great. 8:56:01 PM Kate: David: Oh no you don't, there's no such thing as a damn curse! 8:57:38 PM Kate: David: I can tell what you're thinking! 8:58:04 PM Felix: Well, you being a mind-reader will make this whole mess a lot easier to solve. 8:58:28 PM Kate: Paul, hotly: I was *not* thinking that. 8:58:34 PM Kate: David: No, but Cray was. 8:59:55 PM Felix: I'm not saying there's a curse. But it could be that someone wants us to think there is. 9:01:03 PM Kate: David: ... that *damned reporter.* 9:01:16 PM | Edited 9:01:21 PM Kate: Paul: Are you suggesting she'd *murder* somebody just to get a story? 9:01:30 PM Kate: Paul: That's a little out of the way, don't you think? 9:02:57 PM Kate: David: I wouldn't put it past her. 9:03:12 PM Kate: Paul: Forget her, let's go look for the one who's *financing the entire expedition, without whom there would be none.* 9:03:17 PM Kate: David: ... good point. 9:03:26 PM Kate: He heads up on deck, followed by his brother. 9:04:20 PM Felix: Felix goes with, looking for the countess! "You checked on the rest of the girls?" 9:04:46 PM Kate: David: They're all fine. I had to lock your sister into her room. 9:04:53 PM Kate: Paul: ... you did *what*? 9:05:41 PM Felix: ... wrong move. Paul, go let her out, will you? Before she breaks the lock on the door. 9:08:03 PM Kate: Paul nods and scurries off. 9:08:09 PM Kate: David: She doesn't need to be at risk, dammit. 9:08:48 PM Felix: Your brother wont let her out of his sight. It's fine. 9:08:49 PM Kate: David: And a nuisance on top of it. 9:08:58 PM Kate: He scowls! 9:09:06 PM Kate: On deck, everyone is scrambling around in confusion! 9:09:34 PM Felix: Felix puts his fingers in his mouth and whistles loudly! 9:10:16 PM Kate: They stop and look at him. 9:12:47 PM Felix: Everyone do what you're supposed to be doing. Stop running around like chickens with your heads cut off, it doesn't help anything. Pair up, though. No one go off alone. 9:13:32 PM Kate: They nod, and those who don't speak English have it translated by those that do. 9:13:56 PM Kate: The deck empties, quickly. 9:14:29 PM Felix: Felix returns to looking for the countess! 9:15:05 PM Kate: David does too. 9:15:09 PM Kate: Roll a D10! 9:15:24 PM Felix: 6! 9:21:00 PM Kate: ((Back. Sorry. >.<)) 9:21:26 PM Kate: Felix hears a moan from somewhere nearby. David's busy checking all the lifeboats; there are a few of them, neatly stowed. 9:24:36 PM Felix: Felix heads to the moan! 9:27:04 PM Kate: He finds the Countess! She's curled up a bit on the very edge of the ship, just on the *wrong* side of the railing. And she doesn't have any clothes on whatsoever. 9:28:22 PM Felix: Felix looks for something to cover her up. "Yelena!" 9:28:35 PM Felix: Felix lifts her over the railing. 9:28:38 PM Felix: Felix checks for wounds. 9:30:37 PM Kate: She doesn't answer, but her eyes are open. She's shivering. 9:30:44 PM Kate: There aren't any wounds, but there's a little bit of blood on her hands. 9:32:12 PM Felix: Felix looks around for something to cover her with. "Yelena, look at me, wake up." 9:33:33 PM Kate: There isn't anything immediately nearby, though you could go over to where David is and pull a tarp off one of the lifeboats. 9:33:48 PM Kate: She stares at Felix, or rather, through him. 9:34:05 PM Felix: Well, first of all, Felix pulls his shirt off and covers her up. "Yelena." 9:35:23 PM Kate: It sort of works; he can cover up about 3/4 of her important bits. She has blood on her hands. 9:38:21 PM Kate: He's seen that look before, mostly on GIs deep in the grip of shellshock. 9:39:28 PM Felix: He gives her face a little slap. 9:40:02 PM Kate: She blinks, and actually looks at him for the first time. "... Felix." Then she says something in Russian. 9:40:20 PM Felix: Yelena. Wake up. 9:42:12 PM Kate: Countess: What is going on? 9:42:34 PM Felix: You're on the deck. We found one of the workers dead. 9:43:18 PM Kate: Countess: What happened to him? 9:44:26 PM Felix: He was stabbed. With a dagger. 9:46:29 PM Kate: She starts trembling again, but stays focused on Felix. 9:46:45 PM Felix: What happened? 9:47:15 PM Kate: Countess: I don't know. I was with you and then I was here. 9:50:01 PM Felix: Sleepwalking? 9:52:02 PM Kate: Countess: ... I suppose I must have been. Did I cut myself? 9:52:05 PM Kate: She looks at her hands. 9:53:55 PM Felix: I don't know. 9:54:08 PM Felix: Felix frowns. "What did you dream of after you went to sleep?" 9:54:54 PM Kate: Countess: Egypt... although I do not believe there are human sacrifices in the Egyptian religion, are there? 9:55:25 PM Felix: According to Paul, his body was arranged like a mummy. 9:55:53 PM Kate: Countess: Whose? 9:56:32 PM Kate: David finally hears you, and starts coming over. If you want to cover up her bloody hands, or shout to him to keep away, or that you found her, now is the time. 9:57:42 PM Felix: Ali? One of the workers. Yelena... you have blood on your hands... and no wounds. 9:58:00 PM Kate: Countess: I don't understand. 9:58:07 PM Felix: Me neither. 9:58:51 PM Kate: None of the above, huh? 10:01:25 PM Felix: Felix covers her hands. "Found her, David. Looks like she sleepwalked out here... she's not decent at the moment. I'm going to help her back to her room." 10:01:53 PM Kate: He stops and turns around! 10:02:05 PM Kate: David: Damnit, why didn't you warn me sooner. Is she all right? 10:02:16 PM Kate: David: She didn't see anything suspicious, did she? 10:02:59 PM Felix: I don't think she saw much of anything. 10:03:04 PM Felix: Felix picks her up! 10:03:24 PM Kate: She cooperates. 10:03:36 PM Kate: Celestine stomps out onto the deck, looking furious. 10:03:58 PM Kate: Celestine: What's the meaning of all this! How dare you lock me into my room like a petulant *child*! 10:05:12 PM Kate: David: It was for your own safety and if you had two grains of sense you'd go back there right now! 10:05:43 PM Kate: Celestine: If there's a murderer on the loose I'm not going to just cower somewhere! And have you given two thoughts to *anybody* else? What about Ariadne, did you lock her in too? She must be terrified! 10:05:49 PM Kate: Celestine: Or LIVID. 10:06:01 PM Kate: David looks stricken suddenly. "... you're right." 10:06:09 PM Kate: He gets a crafty look. "Why don't you go check on her?" 10:06:33 PM Kate: Celestine's eyes narrow. "Don't you think you're tricking me because you're not, you *arse.*" 10:06:41 PM Kate: She stomps back off to check on her friend. 10:06:54 PM Felix: Felix carries Yelena back to her room! Staying out of sight as much as possible. 10:07:20 PM Kate: She's still trembling. 10:09:59 PM Felix: Felix gets her to her room and puts her into bed! 10:10:52 PM Kate: Does he wash off her bloody hands? 10:11:55 PM Felix: Yep. 10:13:04 PM Kate: Countess: I killed him, didn't I? 10:14:41 PM Felix: I don't know. It doesn't look good. But you don't remember killing him. What did you dream of? 10:17:17 PM Kate: Countess: Sacrificing a man on an altar, to... 10:17:20 PM Kate: She wrinkles her nose. 10:17:40 PM Felix: To who? 10:18:03 PM Kate: Countess: Set. 10:18:45 PM Felix: I dont' know who Set is. 10:19:34 PM Kate: Countess: Darkness. ... I don't know what it means. 10:22:06 PM Felix: Felix sits down, frowning. "What's happening to us?" 10:22:19 PM Kate: Countess: ... us? 10:23:21 PM Felix: The dreams. The visions. All of it. 10:24:34 PM Kate: Countess: ... I don't know. You didn't dream of it, did you? 10:25:03 PM Felix: Felix tries to remember if he had normal dreams! 10:27:03 PM Kate: He remembers one image: blood on the ground. 10:28:34 PM Felix: I remember seeing blood, but that's it. 10:29:53 PM Kate: Countess: Did you kill him, do you think? 10:30:57 PM Felix: No. I woke up in your bed. But I don't think you killed him, either. 10:32:47 PM Kate: She looks at her hands. "... If I did not, why can I not remember?" 10:33:53 PM Felix: If you did, you'd remember. Even if it was your body, it wasn't *you*. We're dealing with... strange things here. 10:34:56 PM Kate: Countess: Possession. You refer to possession. 10:35:25 PM Felix: Or something like that. Magic stuff. 10:36:27 PM Kate: Countess: ... what will we do? 10:38:13 PM Felix: I don't know. 10:38:43 PM Kate: Countess: Perhaps we should tell the others. 10:39:10 PM Felix: They'll think we're going mad. 10:40:09 PM Kate: She picks up a cigarette and tries to light it, finding she's trembling a bit too hard to do it. 10:40:15 PM Kate: Countess: Are we? 10:40:16 PM Felix: He lights it for her. 10:40:27 PM Felix: ... No. Id on't think so. 10:40:59 PM Kate: Countess: I feel a bit mad. 10:43:56 PM Felix: So do I. But look at the facts. There's something going on more than us being mad. 10:44:48 PM Kate: She inhales a deep breath from the cigarette and then puts it out. "Which facts?" 10:45:23 PM Felix: There's whatever happened to us last night. We saw the same things. We became those people. 10:46:03 PM Kate: Countess: Or they became us. 10:47:48 PM Felix: Well, yes. Past lives and all that. 10:51:10 PM Kate: Countess: How do you know it is safe to be with me here? 10:53:40 PM Felix: Felix shrugs. "I just do. But we don't know for sure that you killed him. No one saw you do it." 10:56:13 PM Kate: Countess: It seems clear enough. I saw it in my dream; it happened, I woke up with bloody hands. 10:56:41 PM Felix: ((How far is her cabin from where she was found?)) 10:57:47 PM Kate: Not terribly far. 10:58:46 PM Felix: ((And how far from where the murder happened?)) 11:00:18 PM Kate: Also not very far, if you know where you're going. 11:02:56 PM Kate: Countess: I do not wish to go to jail. 11:04:33 PM Felix: You didn't kill him. 11:07:51 PM Kate: Countess: You say that as if it mattered. 11:11:55 PM Kate: ((I need a 15 minute break or so to put some cake in the oven.)) 11:14:52 PM Felix: ((KEK.)) 11:27:50 PM Kate: ((Cake in the oven!)) 11:28:00 PM Kate: Countess: You forget; here I am doubly a foreigner. 11:29:53 PM Felix: ... yes, I know. 11:29:57 PM Felix: Felix rubs his eyes. 11:31:13 PM Kate: Countess: You as well, but of course, at least you speak English properly. 11:34:06 PM Felix: Your english sounds fine to me. 11:35:25 PM Kate: Countess: Still, I am a refugee, whose own country does not want her. ... I went to boarding school in England. 11:37:46 PM Kate: Countess: The girls often poked fun at my accent; as I recall, men found it charming. 11:38:32 PM Felix: I'md efinintely in the previous camp. 11:39:53 PM Kate: Countess: Charming or comical? At times it is both. 11:40:32 PM Felix: Charming. 11:42:34 PM Kate: Countess: I have been waiting for you to come back to bed, but perhaps you wish to investigate further? 11:44:01 PM Felix: It's what you hired me for. I should see what other information there is to be found. 11:45:01 PM Kate: Countess: Go. I am all right. 11:47:50 PM Felix: He nods, and kisses her before he goes! 11:48:29 PM Kate: She kisses him back, a bit more tentatively than usual. 11:50:57 PM Felix: He goes back outside! 11:51:50 PM Kate: David's there, looking oddly uncertain. 11:51:58 PM Kate: Father O'Malley is standing next to him. 11:52:27 PM Kate: O'Malley: That's how it *works* in this country, son, you know that. 11:52:38 PM Kate: David: ... it doesn't seem right. 11:52:53 PM Kate: O'Malley: Well how long d'you want to wait before you get out to that dig site? 11:53:03 PM Felix: What's going on? 11:53:17 PM Kate: David: He doesn't think I should tell the Egyptian police. Or the British ones. 11:53:34 PM Kate: O'Malley: It'll just hold us up, an' I don't think they'll be able to find anythin' out anyway. 11:54:15 PM Felix: Why not? 11:55:06 PM Kate: David: We'd have to wait days and days while the bastards asked us questions and we probably *still* wouldn't find out who killed Ali. 11:55:14 PM Kate: O'Malley: Could spike the entire expedition. 11:57:06 PM Kate: David: What do you think, Cray? 11:59:27 PM Felix: We don't have anything to tell the police yet. We'd have to stop the boat, giving the killer time to get away. I think we should wait until we can find smoething more concrete. 12:05:18 AM Kate: David: Like what? 12:05:43 AM Kate: David: ... dammit, Ali was a good worker. He deserves justice of *some* kind. 12:05:55 AM Kate: O'Malley: ... you realize this'll give the curse feet, too, right? 12:06:09 AM Kate: David: There's no such thing as a damned curse! 12:07:14 AM Felix: ...are you sure? 12:08:14 AM Kate: David: Oh, don't tell you you've fallen for that line of nonsense? You haven't been talking to that bloody woman, have you? 12:09:44 AM Felix: What woman? 12:10:45 AM Kate: David scowls. "The reporter." 12:11:42 AM Felix: Is she onboard? 12:12:14 AM Kate: David: If she is I will throw her off myself. 12:12:23 AM Kate: O'Malley: ... now, Mr. Driscoll... 12:12:51 AM Kate: David: Fine! Fine, you've convinced me. We'll *bribe* his family with a stipend. I was going to do that anyway! And we'll try to find out what the *hell* happened down there. 12:16:34 AM Felix: We will, David. We'll get to the bottom of it. 12:17:41 AM Kate: David growls and stomps off. 12:18:00 AM Kate: O'Malley: ... what d'you think happened? 12:19:12 AM Felix: David hates it when the word 'curse' is mentioned, but I think that's what's happening. Either someone wants us to believe there's a curse, or there actually is one. 12:20:00 AM Kate: O'Malley: You think there could be one? How come? 12:22:45 AM Felix: I'm not a scientist, padre. I believe there's a lot of stuff we can't quantify And this expedition is all about digging up dead royalty who kept sorcerors and priests on staff. 12:24:22 AM Kate: O'Malley: Well, normally I'd say trust in God to protect us, but he sure didn't help Ali too much. 12:24:35 AM Kate: O'Malley: An' he sure didn't put himself in that position. 12:25:46 AM Felix: No. Someone killed him. 12:26:07 AM Felix: Maybe a ghost. Maybe someone who doesn't want us to get to Luxor. 12:26:32 AM Kate: O'Malley: Do ghosts go 'round killin' folks? 12:26:52 AM Felix: MAybe if it was mad enough. 12:30:21 AM Kate: O'Malley shakes his head and lights a cigar. 12:30:27 AM Kate: He offers Felix one, too. 12:31:06 AM Felix: No thanks, padre. 12:32:37 AM Kate: O'Malley sighs. "This seemed like a real good idea back in the ole' U.S. Now I ain't so sure." 12:32:58 AM Felix: How did you get caught up in all of this? 12:34:48 AM Kate: O'Malley: Dead languages is a hobby o' mine. I been studyin' Egyptian for about as long as English. 12:36:41 AM Felix: I mean, this expedition specifically. 12:38:04 AM Kate: O'Malley: Oh, the Driscolls wrote to me, said they needed a linguist. 12:38:25 AM Kate: O'Malley: Mind you, I reckon the real reason they brought me was to tutor Miss Ariadne. 12:40:27 AM Felix: Ah. Smart girl. 12:41:20 AM Kate: O'Malley shrugs. "Don't mind 'er, she'd be 'bout the same age as my nieces." 12:43:39 AM Kate: O'Malley: You got kids o' your own? 12:45:29 AM Felix: No, no I don't. 12:46:27 AM Kate: O'Malley: No wife, neither. Better be careful, that countess looks mighty predatory. 12:49:09 AM Felix: I'll be okay, padre. 12:49:16 AM Felix: ... I'm going to check on my sister. 12:49:37 AM Kate: O'Malley: Think she's with Miss Ariadne. Say, she ain't married, is she? Spirited girl like that. 12:50:04 AM Felix: No, she's not. 12:50:56 AM Kate: O'Malley: How come? 12:52:01 AM Felix: I don't know, you'd have to ask her. She hasn't met a man that can keep up with her yet, I imagine. 12:52:34 AM Kate: O'Malley: ... reckon she'd think I was too old. 12:53:01 AM Felix: Or too much of a priest. 12:54:05 AM Kate: O'Malley: I ain't Catholic, son. 12:54:19 AM Felix: REally? I thought you were. 12:54:36 AM Kate: He shakes his head. "Nope." 12:54:52 AM Kate: He holds up the cross around his neck; it's pretty small. And there's no dead person on it. "No crucifix." 12:56:52 AM Felix: Ah. Well, my apologies, then. 12:59:05 AM Kate: He shrugs. "Reckon I'm competin' against Paul, too, an' 'bout any man who sees 'er." 12:59:42 AM Felix: She does have that effect, doesn't she? 1:01:47 AM Kate: O'Malley: Seems like. You find yourself havin' to fight 'em all? Or does she fight 'em herself? 1:02:35 AM Felix: I am, of course, ready to fight to the death anyone for my sister, but I hardly think it's necessary. 1:05:06 AM Kate: O'Malley: I hope not too. Might put up a fight my own self. G'night, Mr. Cray, or rather... g'mornin', I guess. Either way, I'm headin' back to bed. 1:05:23 AM Kate: The sun is indeed beginning to peep over the horizon; the first glimmerings of dawn. 1:05:34 AM Felix: He nods, and heads back down to where the body is. 1:08:49 AM Kate: Paul is there, staring at it, wandering around it in a circle. Hilde is watching. 1:09:37 AM Felix: Felix looks at Hilde. "What can you tel me about the knife?" 1:10:37 AM Kate: Hilde: It is a forgery. Good enough to pass the muster only for a moment to the untrained eye. 1:10:50 AM Kate: Paul: She's right. 1:13:29 AM Felix: Felix nods. "Probably just bought in the marketplace in the city we just left?" 1:14:22 AM Kate: Hilde: Yes, I believe so. 1:14:31 AM Kate: Hilde: It is not so good as the other forgeries I detected. 1:15:22 AM Felix: What is it a forgery of? 1:16:52 AM Kate: Hilde: A ceremonial dagger dating from ... I am not sure, it is too badly done to be certain of the intent. 1:18:02 AM Felix: What were such daggers used for? Sacrifices and the like? 1:20:22 AM Kate: Hilde: Yes, likely. Bulls, doves, and the like. 1:22:48 AM Felix: Who did they sacrifice to? 1:24:05 AM Kate: Hilde: Many, many upon many gods. 1:24:27 AM Kate: Paul: Egypt was a world capital, don't forget. They acquired many gods from other cultures as well. 1:26:24 AM Felix: Right. Just trying to get into the head of whoever did this. 1:27:00 AM Kate: Paul: You've got to remember, Egyptians were polytheists. If we were like that we'd have a god for going to the grocery store, a god for driving, a god for cooking and a god for good weather. 1:30:33 AM Felix: I understand that. Were human sacrifices common? 1:31:22 AM Kate: Paul: No. 1:31:50 AM Felix: Were they practiced at all? 1:32:11 AM Kate: Paul: Well... yes, but not often. 1:32:29 AM Kate: Paul: Normally, it would only be if a pharaoh or a very high noble died. 1:32:43 AM Kate: Paul: They would have servants killed to serve them in the afterlife. 1:33:23 AM Kate: Paul: Sometimes concubines, servants, dogs... the more important, the more of them were killed. 1:33:40 AM Kate: Paul: Sometimes it was hundreds. 1:34:10 AM Kate: Paul: Normally they were either poisoned, or strangled. 1:34:55 AM Kate: Paul: And later they were abandoned in favor of shawabtis or ushebtis, however you prefer to say it. Little figurines that were supposed to do the same thing. 1:38:28 AM Felix: Hmmm. 1:38:46 AM Kate: Paul: You know, without wasting all those useful slaves. 1:40:43 AM Felix: Efficient. 1:40:55 AM Kate: Paul: Barbaric. 1:44:05 AM Felix: Felix crouches near the dead guy, looking for anything he missed the first time.... 1:45:13 AM Kate: Roll a D10! 1:46:25 AM Felix: Woot! 9! 1:47:41 AM Kate: You notice that his mouth looks full. 1:48:38 AM Felix: Felix opens his mouth, pressing on his cheeks! 1:51:43 AM Kate: There's a piece of parchment inside, wadded up. 1:51:55 AM Felix: He pulls it out! 1:53:05 AM Kate: It's not too damp. 1:54:00 AM Felix: He unfolds it. 1:57:24 AM Kate: It's a crudely-drawn picture. 1:57:57 AM Felix: ((Of what?)) 1:58:05 AM Kate: Of two arms open, as if to the sky, and then a weird looking animal, with a tail going up. 1:58:11 AM Kate: You recognize it, for some reason. 1:58:29 AM Kate: The first symbol is that of the ka, the spirit or soul. 1:58:58 AM Kate: The second symbol is a shorthand for the Egyptian god Set, or Seth. 2:00:07 AM Kate: Seth murdered and chopped up his brother, Osiris, jealous of his rule over all the gods. 2:01:32 AM Felix: ((Was it done in ink?)) 2:01:44 AM Kate: Nope. Blood! 2:01:55 AM Kate: Paul: What's that? 2:04:09 AM Kate: Hilde: It is a piece of paper? Why did he have a piece of paper in his mouth? 2:04:54 AM Felix: Felix shows it to Paul. 2:06:12 AM Kate: Paul: Soul of Set? That doesn't make sense. 2:06:29 AM Kate: Paul: ... I'll show it to the preacher tomorrow, I suppose. 2:08:18 AM Felix: I'll do it. I got hired as security, this is all my responsibility. Is there any signifigance to this being stuffed in the mouth? 2:08:46 AM Kate: Paul: Well... if he's meant to be a mummy he's not very well-preserved. They *did* have a ritual where they opened the mouth. 2:09:51 AM Kate: Paul: It symbolized breathing again; resurrection. 2:11:12 AM Kate: Paul: I don't think Ali will be breathing again, though. 2:12:23 AM Felix: ....no. 2:12:57 AM Kate: Paul sighs. "I think I'd better head to bed. It doesn't seem right to leave him here, but... I'm not sure what else we can do." 2:14:10 AM Felix: Felix nods. "Go on." 2:15:12 AM Kate: He nods, and heads off, looking back at the corpse unhappily. 2:17:32 AM Felix: Felix sighs. 2:17:44 AM Kate: Hilde: ... do you think it is to do with the antiquities forgers? 2:18:02 AM Felix: If it is, I don't see how. 2:18:42 AM Kate: Hilde sighs. "The knife, it is not as good as the other pieces, I do not think it is the same creator." 2:18:53 AM Kate: Hilde: And I too am going to sleep. It is dawn. 2:19:03 AM Kate: She heads off, despondently. 2:21:33 AM Kate: What does Felix do next? 2:21:48 AM Felix: Felix looks at the parchment the symbols were written on. How old is it? 2:21:54 AM Kate: New. 2:23:17 AM Felix: Felix will go look in on his sister. 2:23:26 AM Kate: Celestine isn't in her room. 2:24:18 AM Kate: He finds her fast asleep next to Ariadne in Ariadne's bed, though, still wearing her robe and slippers and lying on top of the covers. 2:26:33 AM Felix: Is Ariadne still asleep? 2:27:22 AM Kate: She is now. She probably wasn't before. 2:27:58 AM Felix: Felix will head back to Yelena's room, then. 2:28:45 AM Kate: The Countess sits up when he comes in. 2:29:41 AM Kate: Countess: What did you learn? 2:32:58 AM Felix: Well. He had this stuffed in his mouth. 2:33:37 AM Kate: Countess: Show me? 2:34:16 AM Felix: He does. 2:35:52 AM Kate: Countess: Does it mean something? 2:37:21 AM Felix: According to Paul, 'Soul of Set'. 2:37:45 AM Kate: Countess: ... the god in my dream. I did kill him. 2:38:44 AM Felix: What did you dream, Yelena? 2:40:21 AM Kate: Countess: I dreamed of a man on a platform, all in white; a woman brought a knife down into his heart. 2:42:04 AM Felix: And this god? 2:43:21 AM Kate: Countess: It was a sacrifice to Set. I do not know how I knew it; I did not understand a word of what was said. 2:45:10 AM Felix: Did you recognize the man? 2:46:10 AM Kate: She shakes her head no. 2:46:28 AM Kate: Countess: ... I killed a man. A man I did not even know. 2:48:36 AM Felix: Did you buy any parchment paper recently? 2:49:26 AM Kate: Countess: No. There is some in the desk. 2:50:18 AM Felix: Felix looks! 2:52:33 AM Kate: It's the same kind of paper. 2:53:37 AM Felix: Any torn in half or anything? 2:54:07 AM Kate: Nope. 2:54:37 AM Kate: The same paper is probably in every room, and of course, whoever did it could easily have thrown the scraps overboard. 2:56:01 AM Felix: Did you buy a dagger in the marketplace before we left Cairo? 2:56:36 AM Kate: Countess: ... not that I recall. 2:56:52 AM Kate: Countess: I believe I would like to cry. 2:59:06 AM Felix: Felix goes over and sits beside her. "Do you want me to leave or to stay?" 2:59:18 AM Kate: Countess: I would like you to stay. Please. 2:59:26 AM Felix: Okay. 3:00:06 AM Felix: ... even if it was your hands that did the deed, it wasn't you. There's some force at work here. It compelled you. 3:00:46 AM Kate: Countess: I am not sure that's better. ... and I seem to be incapable of crying just now. 3:03:04 AM Felix: Felix lays back on her bed beside her, putting an arm around her. 3:04:19 AM Kate: Countess: ... perhaps I want to hit someone instead. I'm not sure I can tell the difference. 3:04:39 AM Kate: She rolls over to hug him tightly. 3:05:25 AM Felix: Hitting is a rational response to being used in such a manner. 3:08:40 AM Kate: Countess: This is true. However, I have no one to hit. 3:09:13 AM Felix: Thank you for not considering me as a possibility. 3:11:17 AM Kate: Countess: There are other things I would rather do with you. 3:14:22 AM Felix: Well then. 3:17:26 AM Kate: She props herself up on one elbow and stares at him, blue eyes almost grey in the dim light. 3:21:28 AM Felix: ...what? 3:22:25 AM Kate: Countess: Sometimes I wonder who you are. 3:23:22 AM Felix: Felix Cray. 3:25:09 AM Kate: Countess: Are you? 3:25:19 AM Felix: Who else would I be? 3:25:36 AM Kate: She traces over his lips with a thumb. "I don't know." 3:27:28 AM Felix: I don't think I need to be anyone else. 3:29:58 AM Kate: Countess: I don't want you to be. 3:30:26 AM Felix: That suits me fine. 3:34:08 AM Kate: Countess: ... do we dare, do you think? Or will we... go elsewhere again? 3:37:17 AM Felix: I don't know. 3:37:20 AM Felix: Felix kisses her. 3:38:38 AM Kate: She kisses back! 3:38:56 AM Kate: And we curtain there, as nothing *unusual* happens. Apart from the Countess being rather more aggressive than usual. Category:Mummy Game Category:Logs